The BJP demanded an apology from Gehlot.
The government has listed two bills related to 'one nation, one election' for introduction in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Kovind, aged 76, was sworn in as the 14th President of India on 25 July, 2017.
President Ram Nath Kovind will become the first Indian head of state to attend an international cricket match abroad when he visits the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the T20 game between India and Australia on Friday.
A high-level committee on Thursday recommended simultaneous elections for Lok Sabha and state assemblies as the first step followed by synchronised local body polls within 100 days.
President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday attended the Victory Day Parade as the 'Guest of Honour' in Dhaka as Bangladesh marked 50 years of victory in the Liberation War against Pakistan by showcasing its military might which included spectacular aerobatics and display of defence acquisitions.
President Kovind appointed Professor Ganeshi Lal as the Governor of Odisha and Kummanam Rajasekharan to be the Governor of Mizoram.
The government must develop a legally tenable mechanism in order to restore the cycle of simultaneous elections.
Ram Nath Kovind is the first Bharatiya Janata Party leader and second Dalit in Rashtrapati Bhavan.
President Droupadi Murmu and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto arrived at Kartavya Path for the 76th Republic Day parade in a traditional horse-drawn buggy, a practice that made a comeback after a 40-year gap last year. The gold-plated, horse-drawn buggy is a black carriage with the national emblem embossed on it in gold. It was discontinued after the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984 but was revived by President Pranab Mukherjee in 2014. The buggy's history dates back to the British era, with India winning ownership through a coin toss after independence.
President Ram Nath Kovind will arrive in Dhaka on Wednesday on a maiden three-day State visit during which he will hold talks with his counterpart and attend the golden jubilee celebrations of Bangladesh's 1971 independence from Pakistan.
At least eight MLAs of the opposition Congress in BJP-ruled Gujarat appeared to have voted for Kovind.
"Frequent elections not only impose a huge burden on human resources but also impede the development process due to the promulgation of the model code of conduct. Therefore, a sustained debate is required on the subject of simultaneous elections and all political parties need to arrive at a consensus on this issue," he had said.
Addressing the fourth APJ Abdul Kalam Memorial Lecture at the Rashtrapati Bhavan auditorium in New Delhi, Kovind said that "every Indian is proud of that great son of the country."
President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday addressed the nation on the eve of Republic Day. Watch his full speech HERE
Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai was on Wednesday sworn in as the 52nd Chief Justice of India.
The move comes a day after the government called a special session of Parliament between September 18 and 22, the agenda for which is under wraps.
According to a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique, President Kovind, along with the First Lady and other members of the family, joined the fellow citizens and expressed their gratitude towards all those who are safeguarding the health of the nation in spite of grave risk to them and their families. President Kovind also donated one-month salary to PM-CARES fund and has decided to forego 30 per cent of his salary for a year, it said in a series of slides mentioning various initiatives and work done during the third year of his presidency.
The refurbished Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera is now renamed Narendra Modi Stadium.
Modi noted that his interaction with Kovind, a long time BJP member before being appointed first as Bihar governor and then President, goes beyond his presidency.
The retired president is also entitled to a secretarial staff consisting of a private secretary, an additional private secretary, one personal assistant, two peons, and office expenses up to Rs 1 lakh per annum.
A constitutional amendment bill for holding Lok Sabha and assembly elections simultaneously is likely to be introduced in Parliament on Tuesday and could be referred to a joint committee of the two Houses.
The BJP had no option but to get Jagdeep Dhankhar out of its way for the sake of the Modi government's stability, reveals Sheela Bhatt, the legendary political journalist.
Ahead of the introduction of bills on holding simultaneous polls, the government Tuesday said the concept is not new to the country.
The Indian Parliament will introduce a constitutional amendment bill on Tuesday that seeks to hold Lok Sabha and state assembly elections simultaneously. The bill, popularly known as "one nation, one election", will be introduced by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and is likely to be referred to a joint committee of both houses for wider consultations. The bill also aims to align elections in the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, Puducherry, and the NCT of Delhi. The move has been met with mixed reactions, with some supporting the idea of reducing election-related expenses and others expressing concerns about its impact on democratic processes.
Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister late Kalyan Singh, often termed as a Hindutva icon, and actor Victor Banerjee were among the 65 distinguished personalities who were conferred with Padma awards by President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday.
"It is a very proud moment for us. The country is celebrating," Kovind's daughter Swati said.
The former Bihar governor will be accompanied by senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union minister Nitin Gadkari in the UP leg of the tour.
Kumar's support to the NDA candidate will be a major setback for opposition parties.
Kovind said the UP legislature has a glorious history of dignified amicability between the ruling party and the Opposition.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, vice president Rahul Gandhi, Left parties and CMs of various states congratulated Kovind.
Addressing the troops, she said in difficult situations like heavy snowfall and minus 50 degrees temperature, they present extraordinary examples of sacrifice and tolerance in protecting the motherland.
A Haridwar-based community welfare organisation, Divya Prem Seva Mission, will host a series of seven lectures on diverse themes, including one on the contentious subject of simultaneous polls, at its camp at the Maha Kumbh site in Prayagraj. The lecture series, starting on January 12, will also cover topics like Swami Vivekananda's philosophy, India's glorious past, global terrorism, gender equality, and the challenges of privacy and safety on social media. The organization has been involved in philanthropic activities for 29 years and is raising awareness about the discrimination faced by people with leprosy.
Sources said the report of the law panel on simultaneous polls is not yet finalised. They said "some more things are required to be done", indicating that the law panel will be invited again by the high-level committee.
The president made a special mention of the threat to the environment and asked all citizens to take care of it for future generations.
After assuming office, President Murmu inspected a tri-services guard of honour at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
President Ram Nath Kovind and his wife Savita Devi on Friday boarded a special train from Safdarjung railway station in New Delhi for his native place in Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh.
Opposition parties on Wednesday opposed the 'one nation, one election' proposal by calling it impractical and a 'cheap stunt' by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
'One nation, one election' is not possible under the present Constitution. It requires at least five constitutional amendments'
Taking to Twitter, AAP's Sanjay Singh shared a video of leaders greeting President Kovind at the farewell ceremony in the Central Hall of Parliament.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances